Networking Even After Losing Touch

I am the first person to admit that the word networking makes me
shudder with displeasure. I like things to be authentic and organic and
there is something about “networking” that screams awkward and slightly
fake. But, the truth is, nearly 80% of jobs are found through networking
not traditional outlets like job boards. With numbers to support it
like that, the real question is how to do it in a way that feels
comfortable and normal for you.

One of the biggest challenges to tapping your network when there is
an opportunity you are interested in is that if someone isn’t a friend
then you probably haven’t been in touch and now you are only reaching
out because you need something. We found this great blog post on the
Harvard Business Review that addresses this issue head on. They
recommend three things: